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Models behaviour: Tiger finds two birdies on his tail

THE INSIDE BACK

Tiger Woods had to contend with some static from a roving pair of scantily clad glamour models in yesterday's opening round of the Australian Masters, paid by some shameless publicity grubber looking to catch a tiger with some tail. ''Call me, Tiger,'' one hollered on the 15th tee. ''Meet me outside Crown,'' yelled the other. The world No.2 played to smaller galleries than last year but still created havoc yesterday. Spare a thought for New Zealand's own Gareth Paddison, who briefly took the tournament lead with a natty bit of putting, and walked from the green only to be greeted by several thousand backs. The corresponding fronts all pointed at the nearby first green, where Woods was lining up for birdie.

HAILE RETHINK

Ethiopian long-distance great Haile Gebrselassie is already reassessing his sudden announcement to retire, the runner's manager says. Jos Hermens said a sudden knee injury that forced the 37-year-old Gebrselassie out of Sunday's New York Marathon left him in an emotional state which led to the rash announcement. Hermens has spoken to Gebrselassie by phone since the race. ''He was already a lot more neutral,'' Hermens said, adding that Gebrselassie told him, ''Let me think about it.'' Gebrselassie won two Olympic 10,000 metres gold medals, four outdoor world titles and set the marathon world record in Berlin in 2008.

LOW BLOW

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The build-up to Manny Pacquiao's WBC world title fight took a sad and distasteful twist when a video surfaced showing Antonio Margarito mocking legendary boxing trainer Freddie Roach. The videoshows Margarito's camp making fun of Roach - who suffers from Parkinson's disease that causes him to shake uncontrollably at times. Margarito is seen shaking his hands and speaking with a tremor. With Roach and Pacquiao sitting nearby, Margarito's trainer Robert Garcia took the podium at Wednesday's news conference at Cowboys Stadium and issued a half-hearted apology, saying no one in Margarito's camp knew that Roach suffered from Parkinson's. But after the news conference ended Garcia admitted his fighters were mocking Roach, who didn't buy the apology.

SISTERS ACT

Two sisters on the University of Central Oklahoma golf team are celebrating holes-in-one recorded in the same round. Erica and Lindsey Bensch each pulled off the feat on Tuesday during a round at Kickingbird Golf Club. Erica Bensch, a third-year student, had the ace on the 113-metre No.3 hole, using a gap wedge in windy conditions. Less than two hours later, first-year student Lindsey Bensch knocked in an eight-iron on the 130m 11th.

CELEBRITY TIP

Melissa Wu believes swimmer Geoff Huegill will take out the Herald's Sports Performer of the Year, presented by Colonial First State. ''Geoff Huegill made a spectacular comeback to swimming and showed incredible commitment and determination to reach his goals,'' the diver said. ''He achieved great results at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi and, although he carried himself with assurance, remained extremely humble. He is an inspiring role model and an athlete I look up to.''